In the second of a new series on 4BR, Prof Stephen Allen takes an in depth look at another classic work of the brass band medium to examine it in a wider context away from the contesting stage.
Severn Suite
His choice on this occasion is 'The Severn Suite' by Edward Elgar, a work originally written for the 1930 National Championships of Great Britain — but which has been subject to debate and intrigue ever since.
Stephen has been a great champion of Elgar's music and has written extensively about this work in particular, with a comprehensive analysis appearing in the academic publication, 'Musical Times'.
Here he takes 4BR Editor Iwan Fox through the composition and its inspiration, and how in his opinion it is inextricably linked to Elgar's feelings of personal loss and lack of spiritual faith rather than a series of picture postcard portraits of the city of Worcester and its surroundings...
in his opinion it is inextricably linked to Elgar's feelings of personal loss and lack of spiritual faith rather than a series of picture postcard portraits of the city of Worcester and its surroundings...4BR
Performance
You can find out more about the work linked to a performance in Stephen's own 90th anniversary critical edition with the Princetown Brass Band at:
The Presenter
Prof Stephen Allen PhD (D. Phil Oxon) is Professor in Popular Music at Rider University in New Jersey.
https://www.rider.edu/faculty/stephen-arthur-allen
